WWE Champion John Cena’s music hit and he came out to the ramp to a pretty big pop from the crowd. He came out to the ring and took the mic. He put over how charged up the crowd was for tonight and how charged up he was to beat Randy Orton at Summerslam. He put over how Orton was just doing the typical #1 contender thing. Lashley speared him, Khali choke slammed him and Orton RKO’d him. He said the opening chapter always went the same, but apparently Orton forgot to flip to the back of the book. Every time, the story is always the same and he’s always victorious.

Carlito’s music hit and he came out and congratulated Cena on being his first guest on the new and improved Cabana. He came out with the set and it was set up in pretty short order. Cena sat in the chair as Carlito asked him a question; what does it feel like to be a liar? He said he didn’t win every championship match he was in. In fact, he remembered his debut in the WWE and when he defeated him for the US Championship on Smackdown.

Cena put over how long ago that was. He made fun of Carlito and then the Cabana. Carlito took exception to it all. He said he had Cena’s number. He said he was tired of the Randy Orton’s of the worlds getting handed everything. He named himself the number 1 contender before Kennedy came out to the ring.

Kennedy came out and made fun of Carlito running from Lashley last week. Kennedy said he should have been named #1 contender the second he got here. He said the man who was consistently overlooked and over appreciated. He and Carlito started arguing with each other before Cena cut them off and said Randy Orton earned his spot. He put over Orton despite not liking him. He thought Kennedy was full of it and all he really did was just run his mouth a lot. He said Carlito may have defeated him two years ago, but since then, he did nothing. He got Kennedy to toss out a challenge to Lashley while challenging Carlito to a match himself.

Maria started things off with Beth. Maria avoided a charge in the corner and hit a stomp to Beth’s leg before grabbing an arm wringer and tagging in Mickie. Beth’s power quickly overwhelmed Mickie and bullied her into the corner where she tagged in Melina. Melina quickly lost control as Mickie hit a head scissors take down before tagging in Candice.

The action continued to be very back and forth before Candice ate a kick to the back from Beth on the outside allowing Melina to really assume control. Jillian tagged in and hit a nifty cartwheel elbow for a quick one count. Jillian cheap shotted the baby face for fun before looking for a scoop slam. Candice wiggled out though and hit a side Russian leg sweep and tagged in Maria who cleaned house on the heels.

All hell broke loose quickly thereafter and Maria got nailed with a brutal double team move from Jilli8an and Melina, which cost them all the match. Santino got distracted on the outside by Candice which allowed the move to happen. He was irate after the match, obviously complaining to the three about the apparent cheating that took place.

Winners: Melina, Jillian Hall & Beth Phoenix via pin fall

A Triple H is returning video aired.

****Commercial****

Santino was out in the middle of the ring complaining about the cheating in the WWE. He said it was worse than the NBA and the official was to blame. He went nuts on the referee for a little while longer until Umaga came out to the ring to a pretty big pop and obviously looking to eat some Italian tonight.

Chad Patton got sick and tired of Santino’s whining and grabbed the mic. All he said was “ring the bell” and we’ve got a match!

Umaga v. Santino Marella

Umaga came out and proceeded to eat Santino like a slice of Pizza. He hit the running butt to the face, the tilt a whirl side walk slam and hit the exclamation point with the spike. Oh awesome squash-ness.

Winner: Umaga via pin fall

King Booker was in the back with Todd Grisham. Grisham asked him about his match against Jerry Lawler. King said how dare he refer to Lawler as a king. He said Lawler’s reign as a king would be over. He said he hoped Triple H was at home watching on the ‘tele’ and he was probably too terrified to show his face. He said he would make Jerome his serf and prove he was the only true King. Dear lord, this is easily the best character, maybe in the world.

****Commercial****

Coach pulled Cody Rhodes into his office. He asked Cody to watch the whole assault on his father last week on TV with him again. The replayed the footage of Orton’s assault on Rhodes last week. Coach asked Cody how his father was. He said he didn’t want that to happen to him. He said Cody looked like a mess right now and shouldn’t. He said he could understand how a son would want to get back at Orton, but he said he couldn’t allow it to happen. He said if he laid a finger on Orton, he’d lose his career. He said speaking of that, he was 0-2 and hadn’t won a match. He said Cody had a match tonight, if he wins, Coach would let him stay, if he lost, he’d let him go. Cody thanked him for showing him the footage and walked off.

Todd Grisham was with Randy Orton. Grisham congratulated him on his newfound #1 contender status. Orton said he was dressed to compete today, but no one was ready to get in the ring with him. He put over all the guys who he put out of action before Sgt Slaughter came up to him and challenged him to a match.

****Commercial****

Cody Rhodes v. Daivari

Daivari jumped Cody at the start and hit some clubbing blows before Cody fought back with some right hands. Cody hit an irish whip before getting tripped up and falling into the buckles. Daivari hit a neck breaker on Rhodes and went for a cover but only got a two count.

Daivari hit a snap mare take down before slapping on a neck vice. Cody fought out of the hold and used the corner to get Daivari off him. He hit too leaping lariats before hitting some Rhodes’ style punches and a cross body for a two count. Cody nailed a bulldog for another near fall before getting caught on a whip follow up in the corner.

Daivari exploded out of the corner only to get absolutely killed with a power slam. Rhodes hit a killer DDT right after that to win his first WWE match.

Winner: Cody Rhodes via pin fall

Lashley was traipsing around the back and getting ready for his match with Mr. Kennedy next.

****Commercial****

Lashley v. Mr. Kennedy

Lashley grabbed a high waist lock take down and then repeated it, this time taking a front face lock on the mat that Kennedy was forced to break. Lashley hit a right hand before Kennedy fired back himself. Striking with Lashley was stupid and he looked to switch up the strategy with a leap frog but got caught, set down and maimed with a right to the face.

Lashley grabbed a back breaker before Kennedy wiggled out only to get killed with a vertical suplex. Lashley lined up Kennedy for the spear but Kennedy dropped to his back and rolled to the outside to grab some air.

Lashley followed him to the outside where Kennedy was able to hit a shot to the abdomen before he stomped on Lashley’s shoulder on the ring steps. Now Kennedy seems to have found an opening. The official counted away and Lashley barely beat the count into the ring.

Kennedy went right to work on the injured wing, grabbing an arm bar. Lashley powered out of the hold only to eat a boot in the face from Kennedy. Kennedy mounted the top rope but got cut off by the tenacious Lashley. Kennedy was able to catch the bigger Lashley with an arm wringer over the top rope. Lashley’s shoulder looked to be in brutal shape and the official even stepped in briefly.

Kennedy smelled the blood and went right back to the shoulder of Lashley. Lashley used the crowd to get back into the match and was able to hit a clothesline, flooring his foe. Lashley used a series of lariats to keep Kennedy at bay before hitting a back body drop.

Lashley looked for the spear, but ate a kick right in the shoulder as he bull charged Kennedy. Kennedy rolled Lashley over and managed to get the pin fall victory.

Winner: Ken Kennedy via pin fall

Kennedy was beside himself with joy after the match, a shocking clean victory, and took hit upon himself to announce himself as the winner.

****Commercial****

A pretty darn good Snitsky promo aired.

A video package aired putting over the Booker-Lawler match which is next.

****Commercial****

Another Triple H video aired and why do I have a feeling this whole “see Triple H at Summerslam thing” is a work? Why do I have a feeling we’ll see him, I dunno, maybe tonight?

King Booker v. Jerry “The King” Lawler

I hope we get TONS of Lawler punches.

The crowd was quickly behind Lawler as the two stared each other down in the middle of the ring. They backed off and circled up. Here we go.

Booker sort of teased Lawler a little bit with some head games which seemed to delight him and annoy Lawler. Jerry caught a small jab and smiled. Booker used his power advantage to rush Lawler to the corner and hit some forearms before Lawler blocked the shots and hit some PUNCHES. Booker took a second to regroup as the crowd got more behind Lawler.

Booker caught a thumb to the eye and floored Lawler with a back elbow. Booker missed a back kick and Lawler went right back to some punches as Booker cowered in the corner. Lawler hit an irish whip but Booker caught him with another reverse elbow and a reverse heel kick, flooring his opponent for a near fall.

Booker mounted Lawler and hit some rights to his head before hitting a kick to the gut and some clubbing blows across the back before gloating to the crowd. Booker hit another kick to the gut and went for the scissors kick but Lawler ducked away and went for some PUNCHES. Lawler connected with a ton of PUNCHES before hitting an elbow for a three count, but wait!, Booker’s foot was on the ropes.

King slammed Booker’s face into the buckles before sending the modern day King into the ropes only to eat a thrust kick right in the grill. Booker put the boots to Lawler before hitting some shots to the body and some forearms to the face. Booker wouldn’t stop flailing away in the corner and after the ref tried to get him to stop, Book just ignored him, causing a DQ.

Winner: Jerry the King Lawler via DQ

Booker looked obviously frustrated as he walked up the ramp. He celebrated with himself before Lawler popped up out of nowhere and jumped Book on the ramp. The officials dragged Lawler off to the back, leaving King Booker in shock on the ramp.

****Commercial****

Cryme Tyme v. John Nathan & Brandon Gibson

JTG started off and decked John Mason before drop kicking his face off. Shaad tagged in as Gibson did as well. Shaad owned this of course with some big clotheslines and totally turning Gibson inside out with a lariat and a power slam. Shaad hit a running forearm on Nathan before loading Gibson up for their finisher.

Winners: Cryme Tyme via pin fall

Shaad and JTG got on the mic afterward to sell some “Just got beat by Cryme Tyme” boots. They offered their own version of home shopping network. Some fat ass in the front row got em. Funny little segment.

Randy Orton’s ready to make Sarge his woman.

****Commercial****

Randy Orton v. Sgt. Slaughter

Sarge mocked Orton at first before the two locked it up. Orton caught a kick to the gut and then a few stomps to Slaughter’s knee. Orton hammered away at Slaughter, destroying his base, before going for the Garvin stomp.

Orton slapped on a quick rear chin lock and twisted it in a not-so-friendly way, cutting off the air to Slaughter. Slaughter used the crowd to rally him but found breaking the hold far more challenging than anticipated. This is a pretty incredible chin lock segment for a change, btw. The crowd of course got behind Slaughter again and Sarge elbowed out.

Sarge looked like he was getting some offense going before Orton attempted a lariat to cut him off. Sarge ducked under and slapped on the cobra clutch. Slaughter, however, couldn’t control Orton and the hold was broken up in the ropes. Orton head butted Slaughter and caught him recoiling back with an RKO for the win.

Winner: Randy Orton via pin fall

Orton went to leave before turning around and planting a stiff kick to the side of Slaughter’s head, seemingly putting him out of action. Here comes the stretcher again.

****Commercial****

John Cena v. Carlito

Orton’s apparently sticking around to watch Cena in his match.

The two locked horns and Cena quickly bullied Carlito back into the corner and while they broke, Cena just smiled at him and walked away. The two locked up again and Cena grabbed another quick headlock, embarrassing Carlito.

The two circled it up again and Cena this time grabbed a drop toe hold and feigned grabbing the STFU on Carlito, almost as if he’s joking with him. Carlito fought back with some clubbing blows and backed Cena to the corner before getting tossed to the corner and bulldogged on the mat. Cena stomped Carlito out to the outside before following him out, keeping a wary eye on Orton.

Carlito caught Cena coming in but didn’t hold the advantage for very long, getting back body dropped out of his boots. Cena hit some right hands to Carlito’s head and whipped him before the quick boot-to-the-gut-fisherman’s suplex combo.

Carlito hit a kick to the gut but again got caught and sidewalk slammed through the mat. Cena whipped Carlito to the ropes and flat backed him with a shoulder block before slamming his head off the buckles. Cena charged Carlito in the corner but the wily one was able to avoid the shot and hit a swinging neck breaker for a 1 count.

Carlito mugged Cena on the mat before slapping on a rear chin lock, trying to maintain position on the Champ. Cena used his strength to fight out and hit another kick to Carlito’s gut and the Boston blockbuster. Cena went into his victory sequence and hit his shoulder blocks and inverted power bomb. He signaled for the five knuckle shuffle before Orton jumped up on the apron to distract Cena. Carlito took advantage and connected with the back snapper and got the pin fall victory.

Winner: Carlito via pin fall

RAW THOUGHTS

Show Thoughts-- This was pretty much another really good Raw with two pretty shocking results, three if you count Lawler’s ‘win’ over Booker. Kennedy pinned Lashley clean as a whistle while Carlito pinned John Cena, which is the first time I’ve seen Cena get pinned since Khali did it.

Anyways, this whole Orton-Cena feud is like something out of Rocky III. Cena’s established that he’s a great champion but is getting fat and complacent. Anyone would after knocking off Booker, Big Show, Umaga (twice), Shawn Michaels, the Great Khali and Bobby Lashley. That’s not even adding to the laundry list of other guys like Mick Foley, Edge, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho and JBL that Cena’s run through. Orton is totally Clubber Lang here, focused and willing to do whatever. You might not like him, but he’s unquestionably more than a match for Cena. Cena’s losing to Carlito was a nice way to show that no matter how many big wins he may get, he is still capable of losing, maybe something he’s forgotten about. I love this storyline thus far.

The Lawler-Booker match wasn’t a **** OMGZZ LOLZ~ match of the year or anything, but it was a really fantastic way to build to a return match. These two didn’t DO a lot per sae, other than just illicit reactions from the fans. Booker controls, Lawler frustrates. Great heel-face dynamic and a fun feud, even if it’s not going to produce a Danielson-Aries move-fest. Example # 4,987,443 of how you don’t need lots of MOVEZ~ to put on a fun and entertaining match.

The other ‘big’ occurrence was Kennedy not just going over Lashley, but going over clean as a whistle. They seem to be putting the breaks on Lashley, at least for now, and that’s a smart thing to do. He’s improved since coming over to Raw and really with the storylines practically writing themselves for Orton this fall, there’s really no reason to rush the Lash at all. Kennedy on the other hand, seems to be getting the nod to feud with some of the upper card faces through the fall, as Triple H, Michaels and Cena will all need people to feud with when they’re not wrestling Orton for the title.

This was just another really solid show though. Even the squashes all had something redeeming about them and the entire show flowed really well. Everyone seems to have at least a little something going on and WWE’s doing a sensational job of interweaving storylines.

WWE Champion: John Cena (20-8-1, 56 points) (Last Week: WWE Champion)— Cena’s playing Rocky circa the third film. He’s believing his own fluff and looking vulnerable. They’re pointing directly to a title change.

Intercontinental Champion: Umaga 18-10-1, 40 Points (Last Week: IC Champion) — Was it me or did he get a pretty big pop when he came out tonight? No belt eating, but dammit, besides Big Daddy V, no one does squashes like Umaga. No one.

3. Carlito 12-11-3, 21 pts. (Last Week: 4) — You’d THINK a win over the WWE Champ would boost you higher but the unfortunate thing is that Jeff Hardy and Orton are currently ahead of him and they’re molten hot right now. This was the night they plucked Carlito from out of the lower mid card for sure though. By the way after failing to break .500, Carlito FINALLY did it…. And what a way to do it, too.

4. King Booker 2-4, 3 pts. (Last Week: 3) -- Sure our benevolent King lost tonight, but he didn’t come away looking like a fool. A loss is a loss, so he drops, but not too far. Somehow I don’t expect Booker to rise any higher than 3 in the rankings this year and no lower than 6-7. He’s totally the gate keeper of Raw.

5. Ken Kennedy 2-3, 4 pts (Last Week: 10)— Huge win for Kennedy tonight. IMO, the biggest win of his career. I love how the WWE’s painting the upper mid card to be anyone’s ballgame at any time. Very Austin-Rock-Triple H-Angle-Taker esque.

6. Bobby Lashley 3-4 5pts. (Last Week: 5) -- Not a great night for Lashley, but a pretty darn good match and a good performance. They’re putting the ice to Lashley for now, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

7. Snitsky 2-0, 4pts. (Last Week: 6) — Believe it or not, that was a pretty great promo from Snitsky tonight.

8. Trevor Murdoch 6-11, 11pts. (Last Week: 7) -- Where is this guy?

9. Lance Cade 5-10, 9pts. (Last Week: 8) -- Same here.

10. William Regal 2-1, 3pts (Last Week: 9) -- A quiet night for Regal. He slips a bit due to the very unexpected shake ups from Carlito and Kennedy, but keeps his spot.